


Meant as Mates

by butyoumight



Series: Shuffling Your Deck of Trick Cards [15]
Category: Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger
Genre: Alternate Universe, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-18
Updated: 2011-06-18
Packaged: 2017-10-20 13:09:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/213101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/butyoumight/pseuds/butyoumight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Everything in the main room is very peaceful. Joe smiles at him, and even in the dark Marvelous can see it, can feel it and knows what it means.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Meant as Mates

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for Episode 15. Alternate Universe as of Episode 16.

Joe found Luka first. Once he'd made up his mind to do it, to talk with each member of the crew and most importantly to apologize, he figured he'd better start with Luka. Luka and he had always made sense to one another. She was certainly crooked where he was straight laced, a cheater where he trusted his skills. But for that very reason, they had fit together like opposing magnets. She hid very little from him, and he thinks she might understand him best, after Marvelous of course.

Besides, if they're all as angry with him as he thinks they are, at least Luka is the type to just hit him, and that he could handle, and in fact is something he thinks maybe he might need.

Luka was in the crow's nest. She went there almost immediately after they'd had their supper. She had her own kind of training up there, counting shooting stars to keep her eyes sharp. He'd joined her before, back when things were normal, quietly but comfortably sharing the small space. This time felt different, even Joe knew it felt different, and he knew it was because of him. Because of what he had done, and what had been done to him.

He didn't want to feel like this any more.

"Luka."

She turned to look at him, and she was smiling, but it seemed forced to him. He made them all uncomfortable now. He thought about apologizing for bothering her and leaving her alone, but then he thought of how Marvelous would look at him if he gave up. He had to do this, he had to make things right again.

It was what the old Joe would have done.

"Is something wrong, Joe?" Luka asked, leaning back against the rail of the crow's nest.

"No." He answered on reflex, and then he shook his head. "Yes. Of course there is. Isn't there?"

Luka raised an eyebrow at him and he hunched his shoulders, sticking his hands into his pockets and scuffing one toe against the bottom of the crow's nest.

"I'm sorry. That's what I'm trying to say."

She tilted her head to one side. "For what?"

He dropped his head, his bangs falling forward to hide his eyes. Luka waited, but impatiently, tapping her foot.

"For what I did."

"Joe."

He tilted his head, looking at her. She shook her head. "You look pathetic, Joe. Stop it. What do you mean? Be straight for once."

Joe was tempted to stomp his foot, frustrated with Luka for being so blunt and frustrated with himself for being unable to deal with it. This was going all wrong. Why couldn't she just hit him?

"The deal I made, with B-" He hesitated. He couldn't bring himself to say the name. "With him. Giving myself up. I'm sorry."

"Joe," She closed the small distance between them, pressed both hands against his chest and shoved him a little. "Joe, I have no idea what you're talking about. But shut up." She lifted up on her tiptoes to press a fleeting kiss to his lips. He stared at her when she pulled away, and she smiled at him. "Are you done being an idiot?"

"I guess so." He said carefully. She nodded and turned away.

"Luka?"

She glanced over his shoulder.

"Could you hit me?"

She laughed, and punched him hard on the arm, hard enough to make his fingertips tingle.

X

Ahim came next. She was cleaning, putting away the dishes she and Don had washed from their earlier meal, dusting the collection of tea pots she kept on the shelf behind the table. He hesitated, considering and was just about to leave again when she noticed him, giving him a little bow of greeting.

"Joe-san. Are you well? Would you like some tea?"

He shook his head. "No, thank you. Just," He held out his hand, then shifted, using his foot to pull one of the chairs out from the table. "Would you sit with me for a moment?"

She wiped her hands on the cloth she was holding, then set it down and placed her right hand daintily in his. "Of course, Joe-san."

They sat at the table. He didn't want to pull his hand from her gentle grip, and she didn't seem to mind it either. They sat in a companionable silence for a moment before he cleared his throat, mustering his courage.

"I wanted to apologize. For what I did." He's beginning to realize that maybe Marvelous hadn't told them after all. Luka at least hadn't known that Joe was to blame for the entire situation. If Marvelous hadn't told Luka, he probably hadn't told any of them. Which meant that either they were angry with him for something else, or maybe they weren't angry at all. "I traded myself to him so he would free you."

Ahim gasped. She actually gasped, and the hand that wasn't gripping Joe's fingers fiercely lifted to cover her mouth. Her eyes went wide with a little shock, and Joe's heart hurt. But he knew that, despite what had actually transpired, how confused and lost it had left him, it had been the best decision at the time. Sweet Ahim, their darling Princess, he couldn't let Zangyack hurt her.

"Oh, _Joe-san_." She stood up and flew at him. He found her perched in his lap, her arms around his shoulders, hugging his head to her chest. She rested her cheek on the top of his head, and one of her hands stroked his ponytail. After a moment of this she pulled back, gave him a serious look. They had definitely all changed in the time he'd been captive to Basco. This blazing look on her face was new to him. She slapped him smartly on the cheek, not hard but her intent was very clear. "You do not ever do anything like that ever again."

"I was just trying to do the right thing, for everyone."

"It was not right for _you_ , Joe-san. You were hurt, in many ways. You might not care what happens to you, but I do. _We_ do. So, you will not do something so foolish again."

"I..."

She placed a finger against his lips to silence him. "Promise me."

She lifted her finger away slowly, waiting.

"I promise."

She hugged his head again.

X

Don came last. He had to. Joe thinks out of all of them, Don had obviously changed the most. Had taken the largest strides forward to fill the void Joe had left. Joe had noticed it right away, as soon as he'd started noticing things, any way. Don was stronger, visibly so. He seemed less nervous to Joe, as though he'd mastered his anxiety and fear over most everything, had finally learned to properly harness his deep inner courage and lend its strength to his comrades.

But he hadn't changed so much that Joe felt he didn't know him. Don was still in the galley, cleaning up the mess he'd made cooking for them, at the same time already preparing something for their breakfast. It wasn't so very late, but Don liked to keep the operation of the galley running a bit ahead of schedule, tried to stay a step ahead of Marvelous and his bottomless pit of a stomach.

Joe stood in the doorway of the galley and watched Don work for a while before he cleared his throat. Don looked up and immediately looked away. Joe had noticed that even once the others had started at least pretending to be comfortable around him, they still wouldn't meet his eyes. It was most obvious with Don, right in this moment.

"Joe."

Joe moved into the galley proper, reached out to grab Don's arm, to stop his bustling around. "Doc, I need to talk to you."

Don turned around slowly, glanced towards Joe's face and then away again. Joe frowned and squeezed Don's arm. "Please."

"What is it?"

Joe sighed. "I need... I need to apologize to you."

"For what?" Don's voice was timid, and it was familiar and somewhat comforting to Joe. Joe tilted his head, tried to catch Don's eye.

"You've changed so much."

"Not like you." Don said, and under his obvious nervousness at his daring, there was a tone of accusation. "Not how you've changed. And I know, I know it's not your fault..."

"It is." Joe cuts him off. He swallows back his own cautions and moves his hand, cupping Don's chin and lifting his face. He needs to know Don can still look at him. "Don't, don't feel guilty. It's my fault."

"How?" Don's eyebrows furrow, but Joe doesn't care about the curious, almost upset look on Don's face, because Don is meeting his eyes for the first time since Joe was rescued.

"He wanted me. He wanted to keep me, and I struck him a deal. To keep me, he let you three go. I did it for you, but it... I guess it was wrong." Joe finally admits. "It was the wrong choice, and I made it for you all. And I shouldn't have."

Don blinked several times, his eyes turning red. Joe felt panicked for a moment, he grabbed Don's shoulders. "Don't, don't cry, please."

Don shook his head and gulped. "I'm not. Joe..." Don wrapped his arms around Joe's waist and hugged him fiercely. "You can be very stupid sometimes, Joe."

Joe closed his arms around Don, and it felt right, even despite Don being stronger, nearly crushing the air out of him. Despite his own strength having waned, and he's not sure if he could even peel Don off him if he tried. It didn't matter, he didn't want Don going anywhere. "I know."

X

Marvelous had spent his evening and late into the night with the pilot's wheel. He'd retired there shortly after they'd eaten dinner. According to Navi, they were approaching an asteroid field, and Marvelous preferred to steer them through any such dangers personally. The ship was unbelievably important to him, it was a large part of his life and his promise and his dream. It was his home, the greatest home he had ever known.

The asteroid field hadn't been nearly as threatening as Navi had made it out to be, but he'd appreciated the time alone, communing with his ship. And he hoped it had given Joe time to talk with the others, like he'd said he was going to.

He moved into the main room. It was dark, even Navi perched on the back of his chair was dozing, but he could sense that it wasn't otherwise empty. As his eyes adjusted he found them, all four of them.

Ahim and Luka were side by side on the love seat, Ahim's head on Luka's shoulder, Luka's arm around Ahim's waist. Joe was sitting upright on the floor, each of the girls had a leg pressed to one of his arms, boxing him in. Don was curled up on his side, his head in Joe's lap. There was a tangle of blankets around them doing their best to cover them all.

Joe lifted his head, his eyes glinting in the dim light that creeped in from the galley. The others were all asleep, but Joe didn't sleep much, he never had. Marvelous suspects he never will properly enjoy sleep, but he doesn't hold it against him.

Everything in the main room is very peaceful. Joe smiles at him, and even in the dark Marvelous can see it, can feel it and knows what it means.

Marvelous hangs his coat on the coat rack and moves to his crew. He settles down on the floor beside Joe, squeezes his arm in to circle behind Joe's back, spreading his hand over Joe's shoulder blade. He rests his head on Joe's shoulder and Joe turns and tilts his head, putting his nose into Marvelous' hair.

Marvelous pulled an edge of one of the blankets over himself, and he fell asleep, secure in the knowledge that his crew was back, just the way they should be.

**Author's Note:**

> So, we have come to this. _Shuffling Your Deck of Trick Cards_ is now complete. I want to take this opportunity to thank my readers. Simon and Sunny have been my constant support system throughout the progress on this fic, always encouraging and inspiring and reassuring. I also want to thank my Tumblr Fanclub, you guys are awesome and make me feel better about my writing than I have in years, possibly since High School. I'm not going to start naming names because I know I'll leave someone out and feel horrible about it, but I'm sure you all know who you are.
> 
> Thank you all. You mean the world to me. Stay tuned, I have many more projects in store.


End file.
